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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. firm — steady
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. firm — a company
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rush — hurry
  10. can — to be able to
  11. content — happy
  12. firm — decided
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. last — to go on
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — to crush
  17. can — a tin
  18. last — finally
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. last — final
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pit — in a race
  23. squash — the sport
  24. content — the amount

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