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 120 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: snap · coach · fine · mug · game · last · bass · dip

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. last — to go on
  5. mug — to rob
  6. dip — to sink
  7. last — finally
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bass — low music
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fine — all right
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to click
  17. bass — the fish
  18. game — a match
  19. mug — a face
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mug — a cup
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. coach — a trainer

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