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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · ball · degree · bass · racket · stick

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ball — a great time
  3. last — finally
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. degree — an amount
  9. last — final
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bass — low music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bass — the fish
  14. last — to go on
  15. ball — a dance
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. degree — from a university
  18. ball — a round shape

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