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: rush · drill · fork · squash · lash · pass · saw · land

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. drill — army training
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — the sport
  18. land — to come down
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. squash — to crush
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. land — a country
  24. land — ground

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