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: fall · stand · rash · craft · saw · board · scale · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. scale — in music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. squash — the sport
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. scale — size or range
  15. craft — boats
  16. board — a committee
  17. rash — a series
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fall — the season
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stand — to bear
  23. board — to get on
  24. scale — for weighing

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