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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bass — low music
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. scale — in music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cue — for pool
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. court — for sport
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. pit — in a race
  16. court — of a king
  17. track — a song
  18. hand — in cards
  19. court — of law
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bass — the fish

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