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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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 — to lash out
  2. swing — in golf
  3. prune — to trim
  4. march — the month
  5. kick — in football
  6. march — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. prune — to trim
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. march — the month
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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