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: land · ball · plane · pit · pop · bank · bass · bark

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. bass — the fish
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bark — to shout
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pop — music
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a dance
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. pit — in a race
  14. land — a country
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. land — ground
  17. pop — soda
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a great time
  20. land — to come down
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bank — for money
  23. pop — to visit
  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