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

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fine — high quality
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rush — hurry
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. board — a committee
  10. fine — all right
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bass — low music
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bore — to tire
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — to get on
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rush — to hurry

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