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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. club — for dancing
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bass — the fish
  4. club — for golf
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. club — a group
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. last — finally
  13. last — to go on
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. last — final
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — exactly
  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