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: march · bear · firm · squash · fine · safe · tear · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. squash — to crush
  4. march — music
  5. tear — from crying
  6. spell — a short time
  7. march — the month
  8. firm — decided
  9. tear — to rip
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. squash — the sport
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tear — from crying
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. firm — a company
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. march — the month
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. firm — steady
  24. bear — the animal

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