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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. current — electric
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. current — of water
  15. last — final
  16. current — happening now
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. dip — to sink

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