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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bark — to shout
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. spring — a coil
  12. band — a ring
  13. stand — to bear
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. spring — the season
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. squash — to crush
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. squash — the sport
  21. spring — of water
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. band — a music group

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