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: clip · lash · pound · squash · bank · bulb · snap · lean

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bank — for money
  7. lean — thin
  8. clip — to cut
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bank — of a river
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bank — for money
  13. clip — for paper
  14. snap — to click
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. clip — a video
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lean — to bend

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