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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bass — low music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bark — to shout
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. shower — rain
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bass — the fish
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. craft — boats
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. plane — a tool
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pitcher — a jug

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