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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kid — to tease
  7. firm — a company
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. present — there
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — decided
  12. present — a gift
  13. squash — to crush
  14. present — the time now
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. firm — steady
  18. squash — the sport
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. kid — child

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