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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. squash — the sport
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. rule — government
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. squash — to crush
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. squash — the vegetable

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