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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. swing — to play on
  13. capital — money
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bass — low music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. foot — a measure
  21. press — newspapers
  22. capital — a city
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. swing — 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