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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. season — of the year
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rule — government
  6. bass — low music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hand — in cards
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. band — a ring
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. band — a music group
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rule — a law
  16. bass — the fish
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. hand — help
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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