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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · suit · game · foot · bound · bass

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. game — a match
  3. snap — to click
  4. bass — the fish
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bound — certain
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bound — obliged
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bound — tied together
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. foot — a measure
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music

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