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: capital · safe · bound · bat · swing · bass · fan · pass

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bass — low music
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. capital — a city
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. swing — music
  14. bound — tied together
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bound — certain
  19. pass — a permit
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bat — the animal
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. fan — a supporter

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