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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. march — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. saw — the tool
  7. march — the month
  8. pop — to visit
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. court — of a king
  13. pass — a permit
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bass — low music
  16. march — the month
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bass — the fish
  21. court — for sport
  22. pop — music
  23. court — of law
  24. saw — the tool

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