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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. charge — a price
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fall — to drop
  9. club — a group
  10. fall — to drop
  11. club — for dancing
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. content — the amount
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fall — the season
  17. bass — low music
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. content — happy
  24. racket — for tennis

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