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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pop — soda
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bass — low music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. rock — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. cell — in biology
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pop — music
  20. land — a country
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cell — a phone
  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