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: foot · deal · spring · charge · pitcher · hand · roll · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hand — help
  4. spring — the season
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. roll — a list
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — a price
  12. hand — in cards
  13. charge — in control
  14. spring — of water
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. roll — a cake
  20. foot — a measure
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. spring — a coil
  24. row — a line

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