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 · rash · tube · pit · saw · bass · ground · bay

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. last — finally
  6. ground — crushed
  7. last — final
  8. rash — hasty
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. ground — a position
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bass — low music
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rash — a series
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. tube — a container
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pit — in a race
  24. tube — the underground

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