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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. row — to paddle
  4. last — to go on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. wake — a trail
  9. row — a line
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. last — final
  14. spring — of water
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. spring — the season
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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