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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. row — a line
  4. firm — decided
  5. fine — all right
  6. cell — a phone
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fine — high quality
  10. row — to paddle
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bass — the fish
  16. firm — a company
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bass — low music
  19. branch — a division
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. firm — steady

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