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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ball — a dance
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. row — a line
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bass — low music
  8. hand — help
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. charge — electricity
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. charge — a price
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. charge — in control
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. row — to paddle
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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