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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — magic
  5. rush — hurry
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. spell — letters
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pitcher — a jug

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