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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. band — a music group
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pass — a permit
  6. content — the amount
  7. hand — in cards
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bass — low music
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. band — a ring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. hand — help
  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