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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pop — music
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. squash — the sport
  5. root — of a plant
  6. firm — steady
  7. field — for sport
  8. pop — to visit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. firm — a company
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. root — the cause
  14. craft — boats
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pop — soda
  18. root — of a word
  19. bear — the animal
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — a subject
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — decided
  24. craft — a skill

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