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: game · foot · craft · ball · season · squash · firm · club

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ball — a great time
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. game — wild animals
  11. ball — a dance
  12. firm — decided
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. squash — to crush
  16. craft — a skill
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. firm — a company
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. craft — boats
  23. firm — steady
  24. foot — a measure

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