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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rash — a series
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. foot — a measure

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