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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. swing — in golf
  10. capital — money
  11. squash — to crush
  12. capital — a city
  13. suit — in cards
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. squash — the sport
  18. swing — to play on
  19. kid — to tease
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. swing — music
  22. kid — child
  23. bass — low music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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