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: firm · season · chair · straw · pass · bowl · row · club

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pass — a permit
  6. firm — a company
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. season — in sport
  9. chair — a leader
  10. club — for dancing
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. club — for golf
  13. row — a line
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. season — of the year
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. club — a group
  18. firm — steady
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. firm — decided
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pass — to succeed

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