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: stick · fall · pop · fan · press · bay · chip · bass

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bass — the fish
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bass — low music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. fall — the season
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chip — in a computer

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