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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fine — all right
  7. track — a path
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bound — certain
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mate — a friend
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bass — low music
  22. track — a song
  23. bound — obliged
  24. plane — 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