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 116 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: bass · firm · ground · band · fine · hide · perch · dip

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. firm — steady
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bass — low music
  8. ground — a position
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bass — the fish
  11. perch — the fish
  12. firm — decided
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. ground — the earth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. band — a ring
  17. ground — crushed
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fine — all right
  21. dip — to sink
  22. band — a music group
  23. firm — a company
  24. bass — the instrument

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