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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. dip — to sink
  11. sharp — clever
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wound — an injury
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wound — an injury
  22. squash — to crush
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — to recline

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