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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. file — a document
  3. kid — to tease
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. squash — the sport
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mark — a trace
  9. kid — child
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — to crush
  17. can — a tin
  18. field — for sport
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. can — to be able to
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — a subject
  23. mark — a grade
  24. trunk — of a car

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