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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stand — to bear
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. charge — a price
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rock — music
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — in control
  24. bass — the fish

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