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: pound · fan · bass · chest · cue · lie · rash · lean

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bass — low music
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bass — the fish
  5. chest — a box
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lean — thin
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rash — hasty

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