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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rule — a law
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fall — the season
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rule — government
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. club — a group
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. foot — a measure
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fall — to drop
  22. club — for golf
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. foot — part of the body

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