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 120 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: pop · row · wound · season · object · rock · squash · ball

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ball — a dance
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pop — soda
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. season — of the year
  9. rock — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wound — an injury
  15. season — in sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. object — to protest
  18. pop — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. row — a line
  21. wound — an injury
  22. object — a thing
  23. ball — a great time
  24. object — an aim

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