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: fine · chip · row · ball · club · jam · wound · rush

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. club — for golf
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wound — an injury
  6. row — to paddle
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ball — a great time
  11. row — a line
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rush — hurry
  16. club — a group
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. club — for dancing
  20. chip — for betting
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rush — a thrill

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