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 120 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. ball — a great time
  4. season — of the year
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. ball — a dance
  8. current — of water
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. season — in sport
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. current — electric
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. last — final
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rest — a break
  19. last — finally
  20. current — happening now
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. squash — to crush
  23. last — to go on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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