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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bass — low music
  4. drill — army training
  5. bass — the fish
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. firm — a company
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. firm — steady
  15. net — in sport
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. net — for catching
  19. key — for a lock
  20. scale — in music
  21. drill — a practice
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. firm — decided
  24. scale — size or range

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