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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. rash — hasty
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rash — a series
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pop — music
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bore — to tire
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pop — soda
  18. pit — a hole
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. bore — gave birth

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