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: lash · cue · squash · rush · mate · mark · content · bark

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bark — to shout
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mate — to breed
  5. content — the amount
  6. mate — a partner
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. content — happy
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mate — a friend
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rush — hurry
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. cue — for pool
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mark — a trace

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