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

Word bank: club · dip · bass · capital · tube · present · bay · ball

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. club — for dancing
  4. tube — a container
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. club — for golf
  11. capital — a city
  12. present — there
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tube — the underground
  18. capital — money
  19. bass — low music
  20. club — a group
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ball — a great time

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