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: ball · squash · staff · mug · tube · lie · bulb · lash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — a container
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. tube — the underground
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. staff — employees
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mug — a cup
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ball — a dance
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ball — a great time

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