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: bowl · dip · bass · swing · wound · mouse · file · club

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. swing — in golf
  3. club — for golf
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bass — low music
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. file — a line of people
  11. dip — to sink
  12. club — a group
  13. wound — an injury
  14. file — a document
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. swing — music
  18. file — a tool
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. club — for dancing

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