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: bass · drill · bowl · swing · arm · field · pit · net

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. net — in sport
  3. drill — the tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bass — low music
  7. swing — music
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. field — for sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — for catching
  20. pit — a hole
  21. swing — to play on
  22. field — a subject
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bowl — a dish

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