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: object · bay · pass · bass · racket · spell · band · kick

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. band — a ring
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bass — low music
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. spell — magic
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pass — a permit
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. object — to protest
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. object — an aim
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. spell — letters
  22. object — a thing
  23. kick — in football
  24. racket — for tennis

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