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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bass — low music
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stock — goods
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. fine — all right
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stock — shares
  13. rock — music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bass — the fish
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rock — a stone
  19. board — to get on
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bark — to shout
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cabinet — ministers

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