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: bass · mouse · chair · pound · club · plane · mine · bore

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. club — for dancing
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. club — for golf
  9. bass — low music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. plane — a tool
  12. chair — a leader
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. club — a group
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mine — for digging

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