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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bass — low music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. net — for catching
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. suit — clothes
  15. tube — a container
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. snap — to click
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. suit — in cards

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