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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mug — a cup
  4. firm — steady
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bass — low music
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bass — the fish
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. hand — in cards
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wake — a trail
  16. hand — help
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. firm — a company
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. firm — decided
  24. bass — the instrument

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