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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. court — for sport
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. track — a song
  6. snap — to click
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. court — of a king
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bass — the fish
  12. track — a path
  13. bass — low music
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. track — to keep track
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pop — to visit
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tear — to rip
  23. court — of law
  24. tear — from crying

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