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: jam · cabinet · mate · mouse · board · band · fan · bass

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. board — a committee
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. bass — low music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — to get on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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