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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. clip — to cut
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. clip — for paper
  7. craft — boats
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. season — in sport
  12. bass — low music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. craft — a skill
  15. swing — to play on
  16. firm — steady
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. season — of the year
  19. clip — a video
  20. bass — the fish
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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