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: drill · plane · wind · kick · ball · bass · pass · fan

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bass — the fish
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. drill — army training
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wind — moving air
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. kick — in football

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