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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pop — soda
  3. content — happy
  4. board — a committee
  5. spell — letters
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pop — to visit
  11. spell — a short time
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — magic
  16. pop — music
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bass — low music
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mark — a grade
  21. board — to get on
  22. content — the amount
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bass — the fish

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