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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. squash — the sport
  6. field — farmland
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. field — for sport
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. deal — to handle
  20. field — a subject
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bank — for money
  24. squash — to crush

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