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 124 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. plane — a tool
  3. swing — music
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. chest — a box
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. stem — to come from
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. current — happening now
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bass — the fish
  20. current — of water
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. current — electric
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bass — low music

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