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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. march — the month
  10. prune — to trim
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — in control
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. charge — a price
  17. ball — a great time
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pop — soda
  24. charge — electricity

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