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: vault · squash · net · bay · wave · kick · toast · tear

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. kick — in football
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. toast — bread
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. net — for catching
  14. vault — a safe
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. net — after costs
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. net — in sport
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. squash — the sport
  24. tear — to rip

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