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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. can — a tin
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bass — low music
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stock — shares
  10. rash — hasty
  11. can — a tin
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rash — a series
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. chair — a leader
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stock — goods
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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