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: rash · drill · content · bass · calf · toast · fine · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bass — the fish
  11. drill — a practice
  12. fine — all right
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bass — low music
  15. content — the amount
  16. rash — hasty
  17. content — happy
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. squash — to crush
  21. drill — the tool
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. drill — army training

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