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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wound — an injury
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fine — high quality
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bore — to tire
  16. vault — a safe
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. squash — the sport
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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