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 116 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: bass · spell · lash · squash · vault · swing · prune · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. spell — a short time
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bass — the fish
  5. prune — to trim
  6. vault — a safe
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. squash — the sport
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. swing — music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. net — after costs
  17. spell — magic
  18. swing — to play on
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. net — for catching
  21. spell — letters
  22. bass — low music
  23. squash — to crush
  24. swing — in golf

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