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: land · chest · pass · bass · dip · bank · cue · coach

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. chest — of your body
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bank — for money
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chest — of your body
  8. land — a country
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. land — to come down
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cue — a hint
  16. land — ground
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. chest — a box
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — a signal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bass — low music

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