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 · lie · bark · prune · mate · deal · suit · swing

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. mate — a friend
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. suit — in cards
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mate — a partner
  13. swing — music
  14. mate — to breed
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bark — to shout
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — clothes
  20. swing — in golf
  21. prune — to trim
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. swing — to play on

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