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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wound — an injury
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — in sport
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bear — the animal
  13. squash — the sport
  14. hand — help
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. squash — to crush
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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