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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. chip — for betting
  3. squash — the sport
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fork — in a road
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. tear — to rip
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chip — to eat
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ball — a great time

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