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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. squash — the sport
  3. content — the amount
  4. can — a tin
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ground — crushed
  7. can — a tin
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pit — in a race
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ground — a position
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bore — to drill
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. content — happy
  21. squash — to crush
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rash — a series
  24. pit — a hole

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