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: lash · spell · squash · foot · nail · wave · patient · saw

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — a short time
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. spell — magic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — letters
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. squash — the sport
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. patient — a sick person

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