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: bass · rock · bore · sharp · pass · club · spell · face

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rock — a stone
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. spell — magic
  8. club — for golf
  9. bass — the fish
  10. face — to point toward
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bore — to tire
  13. face — to confront
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bass — low music
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. bore — to drill

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