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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. drill — army training
  3. court — of law
  4. staff — employees
  5. court — for sport
  6. squash — the sport
  7. toast — bread
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rest — what's left
  10. staff — employees
  11. rest — what's left
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bear — the animal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. court — of a king
  19. rest — a break
  20. drill — a practice
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. drill — the tool
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bear — the animal

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