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: wake · wind · jam · plane · bass · pound · deal · bark

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bass — the fish
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bass — low music
  5. plane — a tool
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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