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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fine — all right
  3. squash — the sport
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fine — high quality
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bound — tied together
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rest — a break
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bound — certain
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ball — a round shape

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