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: stock · wax · wake · roll · trunk · bass · rock · rule

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rule — a law
  4. rock — music
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stock — shares
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rule — government
  13. roll — a cake
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stock — goods
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. roll — a list
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bass — low music
  24. rock — a stone

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