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 116 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: suit · wound · file · bass · squash · saw · stick · last

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. file — a line of people
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. last — finally
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. suit — to fit
  15. file — a document
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. file — a tool
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. squash — the sport
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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