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: season · lash · rush · prune · ruler · cue · chair · content

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cue — for pool
  3. season — of the year
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cue — a signal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cue — a hint
  24. prune — the fruit

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