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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · perch · key · pound · rock · wind · prune · bass

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rock — music
  6. wind — moving air
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wind — moving air
  12. perch — the fish
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bass — low music
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. object — to protest
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bass — the fish
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pound — a weight

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