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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. ground — crushed
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. ground — a position
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bank — for money
  14. track — a path
  15. bank — for money
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bank — of a river
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. dip — to sink
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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