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 116 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: ball · squash · pitcher · lash · fork · last · fall · ruler

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fall — the season
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. fork — in a road
  14. last — finally
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. squash — the sport
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. last — final
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. last — to go on
  24. pitcher — a jug

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