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: kick · lash · bay · saw · squash · tube · track · season

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. squash — to crush
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. season — of the year
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. track — a path
  8. kick — in football
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. track — to keep track
  11. tube — a container
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. season — in sport
  17. track — a song
  18. squash — the sport
  19. tube — the underground
  20. saw — the tool
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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