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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. squash — the sport
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chest — a box
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. race — the arms race
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mouse — for a computer

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