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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. net — in sport
  3. bass — low music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. net — after costs
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. net — for catching
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ground — a position
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wind — moving air
  19. branch — a division
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bass — the fish
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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