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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bank — for money
  3. tube — the underground
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. row — a line
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — final
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bass — the fish
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bank — for money
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. row — to paddle
  20. last — finally
  21. tube — a container
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bass — low 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