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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. board — a committee
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pop — soda
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bass — the fish
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pop — to visit
  14. wind — moving air
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pop — music
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — to get on
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bass — low music
  23. mate — a partner
  24. deal — a big deal

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