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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — low music
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. foot — a measure
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — rain
  15. firm — decided
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. firm — a company
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a document
  21. firm — steady
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bowl — a football final

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