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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bass — low music
  3. mate — to breed
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — the tool
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. present — a gift
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mate — a partner
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — to sink
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bass — the fish
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bass — the instrument

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