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: cue · chair · season · game · ball · bass · row · fork

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. row — to paddle
  3. chair — a leader
  4. season — in sport
  5. row — a line
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. cue — a hint
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cue — a signal
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bass — the fish
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bass — low music
  17. fork — in a road
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. game — a match
  23. cue — for pool
  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