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: dip · sharp · squash · mug · bass · branch · wind · ruler

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mug — a cup
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — the sport
  9. wind — moving air
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. squash — to crush
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mug — to rob
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. dip — to sink
  24. mug — a face

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