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: snap · file · bowl · pit · bass · stand · season · pound

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. bass — the fish
  3. season — in sport
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a document
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. season — of the year
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bass — low music
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. snap — to click
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pit — in a race
  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