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 124 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. can — a tin
  3. race — humankind
  4. can — to be able to
  5. band — a music group
  6. can — a tin
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cap — a hat
  10. band — a ring
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. race — the arms race
  13. cap — of ice
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. present — a gift
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. race — a contest
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bass — the fish
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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