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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. object — an aim
  3. march — the month
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. march — the month
  12. bass — the fish
  13. object — to protest
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. march — music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mug — a face
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. object — a thing
  24. pound — to hit hard

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