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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bear — the animal
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bass — the fish
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. deal — to handle
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. content — happy
  21. rock — music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. content — the amount
  24. bear — the animal

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