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 · fall · pop · stick · jam · season · prune · snap

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pop — music
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pop — soda
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. prune — to trim
  7. season — in sport
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. squash — to crush
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fall — to drop
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fall — the season
  18. snap — to click
  19. pop — to visit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. season — of the year
  22. fall — to drop
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. jam — in traffic

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