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

Word bank: bass · band · sharp · land · track · branch · dip · nail

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. track — a path
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. band — a ring
  7. branch — a division
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. land — a country
  10. sharp — clever
  11. band — a music group
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bass — the fish
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bass — low music
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. track — a song
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — to keep track
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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