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

Word bank: deal · mug · racket · safe · last · mark · bore · bass

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bass — low music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mark — a grade
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mark — a trace
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bass — the fish
  16. deal — to handle
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. mug — to rob
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mug — a face
  24. last — to go on

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