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: bass · rush · squash · pitcher · kick · club · lie · rock

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bass — the fish
  8. lie — to recline
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rock — music
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. kick — in football
  21. club — a group
  22. squash — the sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kick — a thrill

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