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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. march — the month
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fall — the season
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. fall — to drop
  11. squash — the sport
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. march — the month
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bear — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bat — the animal
  24. march — music

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