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 116 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: rule · wound · track · plane · pass · cell · bass · net

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. track — a song
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. wound — an injury
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cell — in biology
  12. net — for catching
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. pass — a permit
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rule — a law
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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