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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. squash — to crush
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. prune — to trim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mine — for digging
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. safe — out of danger

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