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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. swing — to play on
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mark — a grade
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mark — a trace
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. key — in music
  11. bound — certain
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. swing — music
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. swing — in golf
  19. craft — boats
  20. press — a publisher
  21. scale — in music
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mark — to pay attention

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