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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bass — the fish
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lean — thin
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wound — an injury
  11. race — a contest
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mug — to rob
  16. race — humankind
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mug — a face
  20. squash — to crush
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bass — low music
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. lean — to bend

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