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: stand · current · rash · bark · squash · spell · net · tube

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stand — to bear
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rash — a series
  8. net — for catching
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. tube — the underground
  15. net — in sport
  16. spell — a short time
  17. current — electric
  18. squash — to crush
  19. tube — a container
  20. bark — to shout
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. net — after costs
  23. spell — letters
  24. rash — on the skin

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