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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. plane — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wake — a trail
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. file — a document
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. file — a tool

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