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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. roll — a list
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. suit — to fit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. suit — clothes
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pop — music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pop — soda
  19. bore — to drill
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bass — low music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pop — to visit
  24. roll — on a roll

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