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: bear · mouse · foot · rush · squash · present · fall · season

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. season — of the year
  13. squash — the sport
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. bear — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. present — a gift
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fall — to drop
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. season — in sport

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