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: field · pop · straw · pit · rock · fine · ball · bass

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rock — music
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pit — a hole
  7. fine — all right
  8. rock — a stone
  9. field — for sport
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bass — low music
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pop — music
  18. field — farmland
  19. bass — the fish
  20. field — a subject
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pop — soda
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. ball — a great 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