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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. march — the month
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. toast — bread
  8. bass — low music
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. march — music
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mine — for digging
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. march — the month
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. plane — a tool
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mark — a grade
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. track — a song
  24. mark — a trace

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