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: drill · squash · toast · vault · land · present · hide · chip

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. present — there
  6. drill — the tool
  7. present — the time now
  8. land — a country
  9. present — a gift
  10. land — ground
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. toast — bread
  19. drill — army training
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. land — to come down
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. drill — a practice

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