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 116 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. drill — army training
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bear — the animal
  6. band — a music group
  7. bound — tied together
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a ring
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. squash — to crush
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bound — obliged
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bound — certain
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — the tool
  24. squash — the sport

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