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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bass — the fish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. row — to paddle
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rest — a break
  8. net — after costs
  9. staff — a stick
  10. row — a line
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. net — in sport
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. staff — employees
  15. rest — what's left
  16. kick — in football
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. season — of the year
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. staff — employees
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. season — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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