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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. current — of water
  4. race — the arms race
  5. stand — to bear
  6. current — electric
  7. face — to confront
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. race — humankind
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. prune — to trim
  17. squash — the sport
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. current — happening now
  23. race — a contest
  24. face — to point toward

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