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 116 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. staff — employees
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. staff — employees
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stock — goods
  10. squash — to crush
  11. march — the month
  12. bore — to drill
  13. staff — a stick
  14. march — the month
  15. stock — shares
  16. prune — to trim
  17. craft — boats
  18. march — music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bore — to tire
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stock — a soup base

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