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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — hurry
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fine — high quality
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fan — a supporter

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