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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. squash — to crush
  3. firm — decided
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. firm — a company
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. prune — to trim
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — to handle
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. hand — in cards
  17. firm — steady
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. hand — help
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. squash — the sport
  24. wax — to grow

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