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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. dip — to sink
  3. swing — to play on
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. can — a tin
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. swing — in golf
  8. can — a tin
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bass — the fish
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. shower — to wash
  14. branch — a division
  15. can — to be able to
  16. swing — music
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. shower — rain
  21. bass — low music
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mine — for digging
  24. temple — side of the head

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