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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pound — a weight
  16. branch — a division
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bass — the fish
  20. key — for a lock
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. key — in music
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bass — low music

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