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 124 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. drill — the tool
  3. sharp — clever
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. kick — in football
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. squash — the sport
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. fine — high quality
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bulb — for light
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fine — all right
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. drill — army training

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