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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. land — ground
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bass — low music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. deal — to handle
  16. present — there
  17. land — a country
  18. mark — a trace
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. present — a gift
  23. land — to come down
  24. present — the time now

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