ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lean — thin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. lie — to recline
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. present — there
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lean — to bend
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com