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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mark — a trace
  7. season — of the year
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. hand — help
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. hand — in cards
  22. ball — a dance
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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