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: roll · hand · rash · pit · suit · squash · scale · board

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. hand — help
  3. pit — a hole
  4. suit — in cards
  5. squash — to crush
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. suit — clothes
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. board — to get on
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. hand — in cards
  20. board — a committee
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rash — a series
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pit — in a race

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