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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · shower · squash · stem · suit · dip · roll · object

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. object — a thing
  3. squash — the sport
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bear — the animal
  9. roll — a cake
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. roll — a list
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stem — to come from
  17. object — to protest
  18. dip — to sink
  19. shower — to wash
  20. object — an aim
  21. shower — rain
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. suit — in cards

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