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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. squash — the sport
  4. file — a tool
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. file — a document
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wind — moving air
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wind — moving air
  15. scale — in music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. branch — a division
  18. scale — size or range
  19. current — happening now
  20. squash — to crush
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — for weighing

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