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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. kid — to tease
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. current — happening now
  7. snap — to click
  8. press — to push
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kid — child
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. current — of water
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. press — a publisher
  20. current — electric
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. board — to get on
  23. press — newspapers
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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