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 116 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: cabinet · squash · spell · board · can · tube · row · pound

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. board — a committee
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. spell — letters
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. row — to paddle
  15. squash — the sport
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pound — a weight
  19. can — a tin
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. board — to get on
  24. row — a line

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