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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bound — obliged
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. club — for dancing
  15. scale — in music
  16. club — for golf
  17. bound — certain
  18. bass — low music
  19. club — a group
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ground — a position
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. dip — to sink

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