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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. content — happy
  4. squash — to crush
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. season — of the year
  8. content — the amount
  9. race — the arms race
  10. season — in sport
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. race — humankind
  14. key — the most important part
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. key — in music
  17. race — a contest
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pop — music
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. key — for a lock
  22. foot — a measure
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pop — soda

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