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 · patient · pound · deal · board · row · roll · trunk

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pound — a weight
  3. deal — to handle
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. roll — a list
  17. board — a committee
  18. row — to paddle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. board — to get on
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. row — a line
  23. roll — a cake
  24. deal — an agreement

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