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 116 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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. cell — a phone
  3. mug — to rob
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mug — a face
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cell — in biology
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. mug — a cup

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