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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bass — low music
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bass — the fish
  8. face — to confront
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — the animal
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bark — to shout
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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