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 · fine · drill · field · wave · bowl · spell · bay

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. field — a subject
  4. fine — all right
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. field — farmland
  7. spell — magic
  8. squash — the sport
  9. spell — letters
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. drill — a practice
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. squash — to crush
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. field — for sport
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bay — a horse colour

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