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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bore — to drill
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. bore — to tire
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. root — of a word
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bass — the instrument

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