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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. firm — a company
  5. bark — to shout
  6. firm — steady
  7. deal — to handle
  8. firm — decided
  9. net — in sport
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rock — music
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. charge — electricity
  15. object — a thing
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. bark — of a tree
  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