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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. file — a document
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. season — in sport
  7. bass — low music
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. file — a line of people
  15. roll — a cake
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. bass — the fish
  19. file — a tool
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. tube — the underground
  24. capital — a city

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