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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bass — the fish
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fine — all right
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. suit — in cards
  21. land — to come down
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. suit — clothes

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