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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. squash — the sport
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pop — music
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mark — a trace
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mark — a grade
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. club — for golf
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. club — a group
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. kick — in football
  24. dip — to sink

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