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: club · kid · jam · bass · pop · firm · bay · toast

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pop — music
  4. bass — low music
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. kid — child
  10. club — for golf
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bass — the fish
  13. firm — steady
  14. pop — to visit
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. club — a group
  17. pop — soda
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. toast — bread
  22. club — for dancing
  23. firm — a company
  24. toast — the most admired

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