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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bass — the fish
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bass — low music
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. degree — an amount
  12. club — a group
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. club — for golf
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. club — for dancing
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mine — for digging
  24. degree — from a university

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