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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pop — music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pass — to spend time

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