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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — from a university
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bass — the fish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. deal — to handle
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bank — for money

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