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: pitcher · season · toast · ground · bass · bat · rest · pass

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. season — in sport
  12. bat — the animal
  13. toast — bread
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rest — a break
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bass — low music
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. rest — what's left
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pass — to spend time

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