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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. march — the month
  3. press — newspapers
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. march — the month
  8. tube — a container
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — to push
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. scale — in music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. march — music
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. jam — in traffic

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