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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ground — crushed
  7. wake — a trail
  8. cap — a lid
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cap — a hat
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bass — low music
  13. ground — the earth
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. ground — a position
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitch — a sports field

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