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: bowl · bass · march · key · lie · bank · mate · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bass — low music
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. key — in music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. key — the most important part
  17. march — the month
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. march — the month
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mate — a friend
  22. march — music
  23. pit — a hole
  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