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: squash · perch · deal · mark · cold · lash · calf · charge

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. squash — the sport
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cold — not warm
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. perch — the fish
  20. squash — to crush
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cold — an illness
  24. mark — to pay attention

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