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 124 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: straw · bass · dip · firm · stick · row · capital · fan

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a city
  7. firm — decided
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. firm — a company
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. dip — to sink
  12. firm — steady
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bass — the fish
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bass — low music

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