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 116 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mark — a grade
  4. drill — a practice
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — a trace
  7. current — happening now
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bass — the fish
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. board — to get on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bass — low music
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. drill — army training
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fall — the season
  24. board — a committee

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