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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. face — to point toward
  8. capital — money
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cell — a phone
  11. face — to confront
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stand — to bear
  15. capital — a city
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bass — low music
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. row — a line

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