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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — of a river
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bank — for money
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pop — music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pop — to visit
  16. game — a match
  17. bass — the fish
  18. can — to be able to
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — soda

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