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: season · rest · squash · jam · row · board · track · ruler

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. track — a path
  3. squash — to crush
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rest — what's left
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. row — a line
  12. board — to get on
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — a committee
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. squash — the sport
  17. track — to keep track
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. track — a song
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rest — what's left
  24. season — of the year

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