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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pop — to visit
  6. file — a tool
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pop — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. charge — in control
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — soda
  17. charge — electricity
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bass — low music
  21. charge — a price
  22. file — a document
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. ruler — for measuring

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