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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. track — a path
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. ball — a dance
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bass — low music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. chip — to eat
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. cold — not warm
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cold — an illness
  23. suit — clothes
  24. temple — a place of worship

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