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: pit · plane · wound · bass · foot · cell · cue · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cell — in biology
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bass — low music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pit — in a race
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cell — a phone
  24. pit — a hole

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