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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bass — low music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. last — final
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pop — music
  12. last — finally
  13. pop — soda
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pound — a weight
  16. last — to go on
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mug — a cup
  23. swing — music
  24. pound — to hit hard

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