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 · spell · stand · lean · degree · file · racket · mug

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. file — a line of people
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. squash — to crush
  9. lean — thin
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. degree — from a university
  12. mug — a face
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. degree — an amount
  17. stand — to bear
  18. lean — to bend
  19. degree — temperature
  20. spell — magic
  21. mug — to rob
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. file — a document

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