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 120 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: mug · spell · lash · coach · kick · bowl · squash · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mug — a face
  3. squash — to crush
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. kick — in football
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. spell — magic
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. spell — a short time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rush — hurry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. spell — letters

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