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 124 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. row — to paddle
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. firm — decided
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — for sport
  10. row — a line
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. squash — to crush
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. snap — to click
  18. squash — the sport
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. court — of law

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