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 124 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. roll — a cake
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. mark — a grade
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cap — a lid
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bass — the fish
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tube — a container
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mine — for digging
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cap — of ice
  24. tube — the underground

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