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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. snap — to click
  3. firm — a company
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — low music
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. rock — a stone
  10. prune — to trim
  11. firm — decided
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rock — music
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. prune — to trim
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. band — a ring
  22. firm — steady
  23. scale — in music
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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