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: game · bass · chair · file · spell · temple · lean · current

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. game — a match
  3. file — a document
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. lean — thin
  7. file — a tool
  8. current — electric
  9. file — a line of people
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. current — happening now
  14. spell — magic
  15. lean — to bend
  16. spell — a short time
  17. game — wild animals
  18. current — of water
  19. bass — low music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. spell — letters

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