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: ball · game · trunk · pitcher · plane · bound · bass · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. game — a match
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ball — a great time
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bound — obliged
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. game — wild animals
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bound — tied together
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bound — certain
  24. ball — a round shape

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