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: race · can · fan · scale · bear · bowl · chair · row

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. row — a line
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. row — to paddle
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. race — a contest
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. race — the arms race
  13. scale — size or range
  14. chair — a leader
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bear — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. race — humankind
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. can — a tin
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. scale — in music

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