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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. present — a gift
  4. firm — steady
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. snap — to click
  8. firm — a company
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. club — for golf
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fork — in a road
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. present — there
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. firm — decided
  24. present — the time now

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