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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. last — to go on
  3. bass — low music
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lean — thin
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. last — finally
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mate — a friend
  19. scale — size or range
  20. last — final
  21. mate — to breed
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. scale — in music
  24. face — to confront

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