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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. ground — a position
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ground — the earth
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ground — crushed
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rock — music
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. rock — a stone
  24. staff — employees

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