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: squash · cue · leaves · press · bear · kid · saw · key

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cue — for pool
  5. kid — to tease
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. press — newspapers
  9. squash — the sport
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. press — to push
  13. key — in music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bear — the animal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cue — a signal
  21. kid — child
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. press — a publisher

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