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: fall · board · squash · bowl · spring · can · ball · foot

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. can — to be able to
  6. spring — the season
  7. board — a committee
  8. can — a tin
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. spring — of water
  13. foot — a measure
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fall — the season
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fall — to drop

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