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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. pit — a hole
  3. court — for sport
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ground — crushed
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. court — of a king
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. court — of law
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ground — the earth
  19. fall — the season
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bass — low music
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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