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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. season — in sport
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pitch — completely
  14. track — a song
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. season — of the year
  21. pass — a permit
  22. track — a path
  23. snap — to click
  24. bass — the instrument

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