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: mug · bowl · suit · bank · bass · ground · kid · plane

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ground — a position
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bass — low music
  6. mug — a cup
  7. suit — to fit
  8. kid — child
  9. bass — the fish
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ground — the earth
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ground — crushed

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