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: fine · lie · content · plane · pit · wake · squash · craft

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wake — a trail
  3. craft — boats
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fine — all right
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pit — a hole
  12. squash — the sport
  13. content — the amount
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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