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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. track — a path
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. perch — the fish
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. track — to keep track
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — a song
  20. ball — a great time
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bass — low music
  23. club — for golf
  24. ball — a dance

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