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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. spring — a coil
  7. capital — money
  8. capital — a city
  9. court — for sport
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. cue — for pool
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ball — a dance
  18. court — of law
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pass — a permit
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. court — of a king
  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