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 116 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. craft — boats
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. clip — a video
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bore — to tire
  11. march — the month
  12. bass — the fish
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. clip — to cut
  19. key — in music
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. key — for a lock

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