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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bass — the fish
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. lean — thin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mark — a trace
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. roll — a list
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. roll — a cake
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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