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: stick · lash · squash · branch · tear · firm · suit · bowl

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. suit — to fit
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. firm — decided
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. squash — the sport
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. tear — to rip
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — of a tree

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