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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pop — music
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. craft — a skill
  5. swing — music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wound — an injury
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. vault — a safe
  11. swing — in golf
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wound — an injury
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bass — the fish
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. craft — boats
  21. pop — soda
  22. bass — low music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in 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