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 · net · toast · pound · kid · stand · squash · season

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. season — in sport
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. squash — to crush
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. stand — to bear
  11. squash — the sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. net — after costs
  15. kid — child
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pound — a weight
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. toast — bread

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