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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. firm — decided
  4. ground — crushed
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. stand — to bear
  13. squash — the sport
  14. firm — steady
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ground — a position
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. firm — a company
  24. current — happening now

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