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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. race — humankind
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. press — newspapers
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bulb — for light
  9. net — in sport
  10. bass — the fish
  11. swing — to play on
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fall — to drop
  15. net — after costs
  16. bass — low music
  17. press — a publisher
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bulb — for light
  20. swing — in golf
  21. press — to push
  22. race — a contest
  23. net — for catching
  24. scale — in music

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