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: game · suit · hand · cap · fine · wake · mug · bass

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. hand — help
  3. game — wild animals
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cap — a hat
  12. mug — a face
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. wake — a trail
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fine — all right
  23. bass — low music
  24. suit — to fit

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