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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bass — low music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. plane — a tool
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chair — a leader
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. can — a tin
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. season — in sport
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. season — of the year
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — a tin
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mark — a trace

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