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: mouse · fall · squash · jam · bear · bass · dip · pop

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — the season
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bass — low music
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pop — soda
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pop — 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