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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. season — in sport
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bass — low music
  9. season — of the year
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. vault — a safe
  12. swing — music
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bear — the animal
  21. swing — to play on
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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