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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — in sport
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bark — to shout
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. march — the month
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. march — music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. march — the month
  23. bass — low music
  24. pit — a hole

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