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: present · squash · bowl · current · plane · rest · tube · pound

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. tube — a container
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. present — a gift
  9. rest — a break
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. present — there
  16. current — of water
  17. present — the time now
  18. current — happening now
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. current — electric
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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