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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. can — a tin
  3. rash — a series
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. swing — music
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. root — of a word
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. root — of a plant
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. can — a tin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — the cause
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. can — to be able to
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. jam — in traffic

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