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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bass — low music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bass — the fish
  6. sharp — clever
  7. tube — the underground
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. firm — a company
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — steady
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. firm — decided

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