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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. can — a tin
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — a line
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. can — a tin
  10. club — for golf
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. row — to paddle
  14. season — in sport
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chair — a leader
  18. club — a group
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. craft — boats
  21. season — of the year
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — to be able to

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