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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bound — certain
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. object — a thing
  9. bass — the fish
  10. object — to protest
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mate — a friend
  13. wound — an injury
  14. object — an aim
  15. bass — low music
  16. bound — obliged
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mate — a partner
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wave — with your hand

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