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 · mark · cap · ball · rash · track · dip · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bass — the fish
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rash — a series
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. track — a path
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. track — a song
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bass — low music
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rash — hasty

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