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 · spell · mouse · firm · wound · tube · drill · charge

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. charge — in control
  9. drill — a practice
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — electricity
  13. spell — a short time
  14. firm — steady
  15. spell — magic
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. tube — the underground
  19. charge — a price
  20. squash — the sport
  21. firm — a company
  22. tube — a container
  23. squash — to crush
  24. firm — decided

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