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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. spell — magic
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cue — a hint
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rash — a series
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cue — a signal
  17. march — the month
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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