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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bound — certain
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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