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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. key — the most important part
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. chest — of your body
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pitch — completely
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. key — in music
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. chest — a box
  22. snap — to click
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bowl — a football final

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