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: row · pound · squash · pitch · lash · track · firm · chip

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. track — to keep track
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. squash — the sport
  11. firm — decided
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. track — a song
  14. firm — steady
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. track — a path
  20. chip — to eat
  21. row — a line
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pound — a weight
  24. firm — a company

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