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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. tear — to rip
  5. rash — a series
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. track — a song
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wake — a trail
  19. track — a path
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. lean — thin

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