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: root · ball · pound · racket · mate · fine · bass · bowl

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bass — low music
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fine — all right
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fine — high quality
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. root — the cause
  16. bass — the fish
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pound — to hit hard

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