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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wind — moving air
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rest — a break
  8. vault — a safe
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bound — obliged
  11. object — a thing
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. object — to protest
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bound — certain
  17. rest — what's left
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bound — tied together
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rest — what's left
  24. object — an aim

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