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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bass — low music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. swing — in golf
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. current — electric
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. can — a tin
  23. swing — music
  24. pass — a permit

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