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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bank — for money
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. march — the month
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bank — of a river
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. firm — a company
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. march — the month
  12. bass — the fish
  13. firm — steady
  14. staff — employees
  15. bank — for money
  16. staff — employees
  17. firm — decided
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. march — music
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. vault — a safe

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