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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. deal — to handle
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — a stone
  13. roll — a cake
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. squash — the sport
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. squash — to crush
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. roll — a list
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pass — a permit

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