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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. prune — to trim
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. squash — the sport
  7. race — the arms race
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. squash — to crush
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. suit — clothes
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. race — humankind
  19. suit — in cards
  20. race — a contest
  21. ball — a great time
  22. suit — to fit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wake — a trail

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