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: deal · coach · bass · present · straw · ball · season · mate

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mate — to breed
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. present — a gift
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. present — there
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bass — the fish
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. present — the time now
  15. season — of the year
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. season — in sport
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bass — low music

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