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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ground — the earth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bass — low music
  11. band — a music group
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. band — a ring
  18. bound — certain
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ground — a position
  21. bound — obliged
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. plane — an aircraft

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