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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bat — the animal
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rest — a break
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pit — a hole
  13. current — electric
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. current — of water
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. squash — to crush
  21. current — happening now
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wax — for sculpting

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