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: clip · board · current · cabinet · stand · bass · swing · mug

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. clip — a video
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stand — to bear
  10. swing — music
  11. clip — to cut
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bass — low music
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. swing — in golf
  16. board — a committee
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mug — a face
  19. board — to get on
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. clip — for paper
  22. current — of water
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stand — on your feet

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