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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bass — low music
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ground — a position
  6. hand — help
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stand — to bear
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bass — the fish
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. ground — crushed
  24. hand — in cards

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