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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bass — the fish
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bound — tied together
  6. staff — employees
  7. bound — obliged
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — to bear
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bound — certain
  20. mug — a face
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bass — low music
  23. wound — an injury
  24. scale — in 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