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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. face — to point toward
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bass — the fish
  7. face — part of the head
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. shower — to wash
  10. net — in sport
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ground — a position
  13. bass — low music
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. shower — rain
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. ground — the earth
  21. face — to confront
  22. net — after costs
  23. lie — to recline
  24. ground — crushed

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