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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ball — a dance
  4. object — an aim
  5. squash — the sport
  6. sharp — clever
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. object — a thing
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — help
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rash — hasty
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. object — to protest
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. suit — in cards

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