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: bowl · squash · track · chair · deal · row · present · band

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. track — a song
  5. band — a music group
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. track — to keep track
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a ring
  11. track — a path
  12. present — the time now
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. present — a gift
  16. squash — the sport
  17. present — there
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chair — a leader
  21. row — a line
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. row — a quarrel

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