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 116 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pop — to visit
  3. object — an aim
  4. pop — soda
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. can — to be able to
  11. spell — magic
  12. spring — a coil
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. object — a thing
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spring — the season
  17. object — to protest
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pop — music
  20. spring — of water
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. spell — letters

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