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 · degree · wake · tube · lash · bulb · mine · suit

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. squash — to crush
  4. tube — a container
  5. suit — to fit
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mine — for digging
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tube — the underground
  16. degree — temperature
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. suit — in cards
  22. degree — an amount
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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