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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stock — shares
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mug — a cup
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bass — low music
  10. mark — a grade
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. chest — a box
  19. stock — goods
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mug — a face
  24. nail — for a hammer

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