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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bass — low music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. can — to be able to
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. club — for golf
  9. current — electric
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bound — obliged
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. current — of water
  14. ground — the earth
  15. club — a group
  16. current — happening now
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. bound — tied together
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bound — certain

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