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 120 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: wind · staff · racket · race · wave · spell · bowl · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. race — a contest
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. squash — to crush
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. race — humankind
  9. spell — letters
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. wind — moving air
  14. spell — magic
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. race — the arms race
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. squash — the sport
  20. spell — a short time
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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