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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. content — the amount
  6. swing — music
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rock — music
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. rock — a stone
  12. swing — in golf
  13. content — happy
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. season — of the year
  21. swing — to play on
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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