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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bank — for money
  4. object — to protest
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. date — the fruit
  10. firm — steady
  11. bank — of a river
  12. squash — to crush
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — the season
  15. object — an aim
  16. firm — decided
  17. object — a thing
  18. spring — of water
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bank — for money
  22. firm — a company
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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