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

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. capital — a city
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. row — a line
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. capital — money
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pound — a weight
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wave — with your hand

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