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 120 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: cap · chip · mate · lash · hide · bulb · squash · suit

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mate — to breed
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cap — of ice
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cap — a lid
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mate — a friend
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cap — a hat
  24. squash — to crush

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