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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pop — soda
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. file — a line of people
  7. board — a committee
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. file — a tool
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pop — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. club — a group
  15. file — a document
  16. rash — a series
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pop — to visit
  20. club — for golf
  21. suit — clothes
  22. board — to get on
  23. ground — the earth
  24. board — a flat piece

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