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 · pound · prune · jam · wave · rule · stick · shower

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pound — a weight
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rule — a law
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. shower — to wash
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. shower — rain
  14. rule — government
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. prune — to trim
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rule — to rule out

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