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

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. firm — decided
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. firm — steady
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pitch — completely
  11. firm — a company
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bass — the fish
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle

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