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

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. squash — to crush
  3. row — a line
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. file — a tool
  7. rock — music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. row — to paddle
  10. net — in sport
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. net — after costs
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. net — for catching
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rush — hurry
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a document
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. squash — the sport

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