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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. court — of law
  6. cap — a lid
  7. court — of a king
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cap — of ice
  17. staff — employees
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. court — for sport
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bass — low music
  23. charge — in control
  24. jam — in traffic

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