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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. object — to protest
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bass — low music
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. ball — a dance
  8. scale — size or range
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. object — an aim
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. scale — in music
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. object — a thing

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