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: mine · deal · wake · mate · bay · rash · squash · bore

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mate — a friend
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bore — to drill
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mine — for digging
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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