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: foot · fan · bass · swing · craft · content · file · mate

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. file — a document
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. foot — a measure
  7. content — happy
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mate — a friend
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — the fish
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mate — a partner
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bass — low music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. content — the amount
  19. mate — to breed
  20. file — a tool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. swing — to play on
  23. file — a line of people
  24. craft — boats

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