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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bass — low music
  8. bat — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. roll — a cake
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bat — in an idiom

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