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 116 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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. capital — a city
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. squash — the sport
  13. root — of a plant
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. capital — money
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bound — certain
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. squash — to crush
  21. lie — to recline
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. lie — an untruth

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