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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rash — a series
  5. squash — the sport
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rash — hasty
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. deal — to handle
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. content — happy
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. row — a line

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