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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bass — low music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bass — the fish
  16. race — the arms race
  17. staff — employees
  18. race — a contest
  19. staff — a stick
  20. squash — to crush
  21. staff — employees
  22. race — humankind
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. squash — the sport

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