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

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. net — for catching
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. game — a match
  5. net — in sport
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. suit — to fit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — there
  11. game — wild animals
  12. present — the time now
  13. suit — in cards
  14. prune — to trim
  15. net — after costs
  16. present — a gift
  17. bass — low music
  18. suit — clothes

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