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

Word bank: squash · sharp · rock · capital · present · club · season · prune

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. capital — money
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. club — for dancing
  7. present — there
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. present — a gift
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. season — of the year
  13. sharp — clever
  14. present — the time now
  15. prune — to trim
  16. club — a group
  17. rock — music
  18. prune — to trim
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. squash — to crush
  21. capital — a city
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. club — for golf
  24. squash — the sport

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