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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bank — for money
  3. ball — a great time
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bass — the fish
  6. net — after costs
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bass — low music
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. net — in sport
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — there
  15. bank — of a river
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. net — for catching
  19. bank — for money
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. kick — in football
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ball — a dance

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