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 · wound · stand · lash · club · pitcher · branch · mark

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. stand — to bear
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mark — a grade
  5. squash — the sport
  6. club — for golf
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mark — a trace
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. branch — a division
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wound — an injury
  22. club — a group
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. branch — of a bank

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