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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bass — low music
  4. net — for catching
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. last — finally
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mug — to rob
  9. last — to go on
  10. mug — a face
  11. net — after costs
  12. key — in music
  13. last — final
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mug — a cup
  21. band — a music group
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. net — in sport
  24. bass — the fish

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