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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. current — of water
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. squash — the sport
  13. current — happening now
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bark — to shout
  21. squash — to crush
  22. current — electric
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stand — for spectators

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