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 120 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. row — a line
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. season — of the year
  8. wind — moving air
  9. row — to paddle
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wind — moving air
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bass — low music
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. season — in sport
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — the time now
  24. fan — to cool the air

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