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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. season — of the year
  3. club — for dancing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a hat
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. march — the month
  9. bass — low music
  10. club — for golf
  11. march — music
  12. season — in sport
  13. cap — a lid
  14. march — the month
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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