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: pit · cue · rest · rush · squash · season · scale · rash

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pit — a hole
  6. season — in sport
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. rash — hasty
  11. squash — the sport
  12. rash — a series
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. squash — to crush
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rest — what's left
  18. season — of the year
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. rest — a break
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cue — a signal

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