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: rest · snap · deal · squash · season · firm · present · jam

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. squash — the sport
  3. firm — steady
  4. deal — to handle
  5. present — a gift
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. firm — decided
  8. present — there
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rest — what's left
  12. present — the time now
  13. season — in sport
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — a company
  16. season — of the year
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. snap — to click
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. rest — what's left
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. squash — to crush

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