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: mate · mark · arm · stick · prune · bass · board · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bass — the fish
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mate — a partner
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — low music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mark — a grade
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mate — a friend
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. prune — to trim

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