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 · scale · bass · plane · pit · mouse · game · bark

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ball — a great time
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. scale — in music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bass — low music
  14. pit — in a race
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pit — a hole
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. game — a match
  24. scale — size or range

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