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: cue · craft · firm · bass · pass · pop · court · tear

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. tear — to rip
  3. court — for sport
  4. pass — a permit
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. court — of law
  7. bass — low music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. firm — a company
  11. pop — to visit
  12. firm — decided
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pop — soda
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. court — of a king
  21. firm — steady
  22. cue — a signal
  23. craft — boats
  24. tear — from crying

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