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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pop — music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pop — soda

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