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: squash · row · calf · land · mine · rock · hide · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. squash — to crush
  8. drill — the tool
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. land — a country
  11. row — a line
  12. rock — music
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. land — ground
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mine — for digging
  19. drill — army training
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. land — to come down
  22. squash — the sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. calf — a young animal

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