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 · race · bulb · ball · mate · fork · hide · cue

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. squash — the sport
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bulb — for light
  13. race — humankind
  14. cue — a signal
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. race — the arms race
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cue — for pool

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