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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rule — government
  3. squash — to crush
  4. swing — to play on
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. swing — music
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rule — a law
  14. mark — a trace
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. squash — the sport
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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