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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. tear — from crying
  12. toast — bread
  13. tear — from crying
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. fine — all right
  17. club — for golf
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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