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: kid · bass · craft · foot · date · mug · squash · bear

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. kid — child
  5. date — the fruit
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bass — the fish
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mug — to rob
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bear — the animal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mug — a face
  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