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: rush · pitcher · fan · mouse · lash · jam · land · club

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. land — ground
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. club — for golf
  12. land — to come down
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. club — a group
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. club — for dancing
  22. land — a country
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mouse — the animal

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