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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fine — all right
  4. present — the time now
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. squash — to crush
  10. ball — a great time
  11. game — a match
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. game — wild animals
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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