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: bass · court · sharp · mark · can · pitcher · bear · plane

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. plane — a tool
  3. court — of a king
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. can — to be able to
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. court — for sport
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. can — a tin
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bass — low music
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bear — the animal

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