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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. kick — in football
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bass — low music
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bass — the fish
  17. game — a match
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. can — a tin

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