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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bass — low music
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. firm — a company
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. firm — steady
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. firm — decided
  16. content — happy
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. content — the amount
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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