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: arm · squash · fall · season · shower · date · rush · root

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. season — in sport
  3. root — the cause
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fall — the season
  7. squash — the sport
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. shower — rain
  12. root — of a plant
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. shower — to wash
  19. root — of a word
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. arm — part of the body

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