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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mark — a trace
  4. net — in sport
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. field — a subject
  7. net — after costs
  8. march — music
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. chip — for betting
  11. field — for sport
  12. march — the month
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bass — low music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bass — the fish
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. march — the month
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. net — for catching
  24. field — farmland

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