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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. present — the time now
  6. branch — a division
  7. present — there
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. present — a gift
  11. chest — a box
  12. season — of the year
  13. mark — a trace
  14. can — a tin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chest — of your body
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. squash — the sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. season — in sport
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. chest — of your body

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