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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bass — low music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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