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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bass — low music
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pop — music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pop — soda
  21. kid — to tease
  22. wound — an injury
  23. kid — child
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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