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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bass — low music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bass — the fish
  5. charge — electricity
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. stock — shares
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stock — goods
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. hand — in cards

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