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 · ball · rush · bark · sharp · bowl · dip · pitch

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. sharp — clever
  19. row — a line
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. sharp — exactly

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