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: fall · lash · ground · last · pitcher · spell · suit · squash

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spell — magic
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fall — to drop
  14. spell — letters
  15. fall — the season
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ground — a position
  19. last — final
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. last — to go on
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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