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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mark — a trace
  3. shower — to wash
  4. race — humankind
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bank — for money
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mark — a grade
  10. shower — rain
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bank — for money
  13. chair — a leader
  14. race — the arms race
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. race — a contest
  21. bass — the fish
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bass — low music
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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