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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · wind · cell · pound · pitch · lash

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pitch — completely
  11. cell — in biology
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. cell — a phone
  17. wind — moving air
  18. squash — the vegetable

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