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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. court — of a king
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. prune — to trim
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. court — of law
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bass — low music
  17. fork — in a road
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. court — for sport
  20. prune — to trim
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bass — the fish
  24. squash — the sport

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