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 116 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. net — in sport
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bound — certain
  8. bass — the fish
  9. net — after costs
  10. bound — tied together
  11. tube — a container
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. net — for catching
  14. bass — low music
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pit — in a race
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ground — a position
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bound — obliged
  24. ground — crushed

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