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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mate — a friend
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mate — a partner
  5. present — a gift
  6. mate — to breed
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bulb — for light
  9. present — the time now
  10. stand — to bear
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. chip — in a computer

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