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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cap — a lid
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. can — to be able to
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. kick — in football
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a round shape

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