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 · staff · track · stick · wound · bowl · wave · saw

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. track — to keep track
  4. wound — an injury
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. staff — employees
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. track — a song
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. track — a path
  23. staff — employees
  24. saw — the tool

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