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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bass — low music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pop — music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rock — music
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. land — to come down
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. land — ground
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rock — a stone
  23. land — a country
  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