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: straw · club · mug · mark · pass · perch · foot · bass

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. club — for golf
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. club — for dancing
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bass — low music
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mark — a trace
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bass — the fish
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mug — a face
  24. straw — a straw man

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