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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rock — music
  4. band — a ring
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rock — a stone
  14. club — for golf
  15. rest — a break
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bass — low music
  21. mine — for digging
  22. club — a group
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a rubber band

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