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: swing · face · temple · wound · roll · pop · bass · lash

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bass — the fish
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — low music
  6. pop — soda
  7. roll — a list
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pop — to visit
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. swing — to play on
  13. roll — a cake
  14. pop — music
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. face — to point toward
  18. swing — music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. swing — in golf

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