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 · fan · bass · wake · band · craft · squash · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. club — for golf
  10. bass — the fish
  11. swing — in golf
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. craft — boats
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bass — low music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. swing — music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. squash — to crush

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