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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. toast — bread
  5. dip — to sink
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bass — low music
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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