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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ground — the earth
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. kick — in football
  11. rule — a law
  12. ground — a position
  13. craft — a skill
  14. can — a tin
  15. craft — boats
  16. squash — to crush
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rule — government
  23. ground — crushed
  24. squash — the sport

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