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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. kid — child
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bass — low music
  7. branch — a division
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rock — music
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. toast — bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bass — the fish
  18. swing — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. swing — in golf
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. swing — to play on

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