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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. current — happening now
  3. rule — government
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. swing — in golf
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. swing — to play on
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rule — a law
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. current — electric
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. current — of water
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wake — a trail
  23. cap — a lid
  24. swing — 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