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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bass — the fish
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ball — a dance
  8. capital — a city
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. toast — bread
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bass — low music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a great time

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