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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ball — a dance
  5. band — a music group
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bass — low music

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