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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. sharp — clever
  3. season — of the year
  4. bass — low music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pass — a permit
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. season — in sport
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. wave — of the sea

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