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: cap · swing · roll · rush · pound · squash · suit · wave

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cap — a hat
  4. suit — to fit
  5. squash — to crush
  6. suit — clothes
  7. swing — music
  8. roll — a list
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cap — a lid
  14. swing — in golf
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cap — of ice

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