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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. squash — the sport
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. current — of water
  14. mine — for digging
  15. rash — a series
  16. lean — thin
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rash — hasty

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