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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pop — soda
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mark — a grade
  10. object — a thing
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fork — in a road
  17. row — a line
  18. object — to protest
  19. pop — music
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pop — to visit
  22. object — an aim
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. arm — part of the body

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