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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cue — a signal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. swing — music
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. key — for a lock
  13. present — a gift
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. content — happy
  19. swing — to play on
  20. content — the amount
  21. spring — the season
  22. key — the most important part
  23. squash — to crush
  24. key — in 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