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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bark — to shout
  5. suit — in cards
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. game — wild animals
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. game — a match
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. suit — clothes
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. fan — a supporter

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