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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bound — certain
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. spring — of water
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — music
  7. bound — obliged
  8. date — the fruit
  9. can — a tin
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rash — a series
  12. squash — the sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rash — hasty
  17. can — to be able to
  18. spring — the season
  19. bound — tied together
  20. ball — a great time
  21. squash — to crush
  22. ball — a dance
  23. spring — a coil
  24. ball — a round shape

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