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 120 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 · ball · net · plane · lie · bass · cue · pop

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pop — soda
  4. mate — a partner
  5. net — after costs
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pop — music
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — in sport
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bass — low music
  17. mate — to breed
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pop — to visit
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. plane — an aircraft

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