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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. wake — a trail
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. row — a line
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bear — the animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lean — thin
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. band — a music group
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. firm — steady
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bass — low music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. band — a rubber band

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