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 · content · rush · rest · scale · safe · present · calf

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — the sport
  6. rush — hurry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — in music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — the amount
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. present — the time now
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. content — happy
  17. present — a gift
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. present — there
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. scale — size or range
  24. content — videos and posts

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