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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. bass — low music
  4. file — a tool
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. file — a line of people
  7. wound — an injury
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. file — a document
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. row — to paddle
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. row — a line
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bass — the fish
  18. net — after costs

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