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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bass — low music
  3. mark — a trace
  4. sharp — clever
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pound — a weight
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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