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: jam · mug · season · club · row · bank · wind · chip

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. club — for golf
  4. wind — moving air
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bank — for money
  7. row — a line
  8. bank — for money
  9. season — in sport
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — a face
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. season — of the year
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wind — moving air

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