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: cabinet · fork · board · field · racket · pass · bass · root

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. board — to get on
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pass — a permit
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. root — of a word
  12. fork — in a road
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. board — a committee
  15. field — for sport
  16. root — the cause
  17. field — a subject
  18. field — farmland
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bass — the fish

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