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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. clip — to cut
  4. rock — a stone
  5. staff — employees
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. fine — high quality
  10. staff — employees
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. clip — a video
  13. bass — the fish
  14. squash — the sport
  15. staff — a stick
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rock — music
  21. scale — in music
  22. fine — all right
  23. clip — for paper
  24. pass — to spend time

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