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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. swing — to play on
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. squash — the sport
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — employees
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pit — a hole
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — music
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mark — to pay attention

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