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 120 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. present — a gift
  3. bank — for money
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — of ice
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bank — of a river
  9. present — there
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bank — for money
  15. present — the time now
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bass — low music
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. wound — an injury

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