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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bass — low music
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bass — the fish
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chair — a leader

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