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: firm · bear · squash · toast · wound · can · field · rash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. can — a tin
  4. firm — decided
  5. can — a tin
  6. rash — a series
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. field — a subject
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. squash — to crush
  17. firm — steady
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. firm — a company
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. squash — the sport
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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