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: key · net · hand · bass · bay · game · track · wound

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. key — the most important part
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. track — a song
  8. key — for a lock
  9. net — for catching
  10. track — a path
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. net — in sport
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. key — in music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. wound — an injury
  20. net — after costs
  21. track — to keep track
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  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