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 120 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. face — to confront
  4. mate — to breed
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. degree — temperature
  11. squash — the sport
  12. degree — from a university
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mate — a friend
  16. degree — an amount
  17. current — happening now
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mate — a partner
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. face — part of the head
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. squash — to crush

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