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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pop — music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pop — to visit
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rest — a break
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bound — tied together
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bound — certain
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pop — soda

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