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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bear — the animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. club — for dancing
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bass — low music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. club — a group
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. club — for golf
  18. mate — to breed
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. scale — in music

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