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: roll · swing · squash · pitcher · club · shower · spell · rush

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. club — for golf
  4. shower — to wash
  5. spell — magic
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rush — hurry
  8. swing — music
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. roll — a cake
  11. club — a group
  12. spell — a short time
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. spell — letters
  19. club — for dancing
  20. roll — a list
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. swing — to play on
  24. squash — to crush

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