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: mouse · file · last · pound · bass · spring · racket · plane

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. last — final
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. last — to go on
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bass — the fish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. last — finally
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. spring — of water
  21. bass — low music
  22. spring — a coil
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. spring — the season

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