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: pass · shower · stem · rash · wake · squash · cue · roll

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. roll — a list
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rash — hasty
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cue — for pool
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. rash — a series
  10. shower — rain
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cue — a hint
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. squash — to crush

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