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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. season — of the year
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wound — an injury
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rest — a break
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wound — an injury
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bass — low music
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bass — the fish
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bat — the animal
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. season — in sport
  24. rush — hurry

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