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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. net — for catching
  3. bass — low music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. net — after costs
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in biology
  19. net — in sport
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. lash — an eyelash

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