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 · nail · wave · vault · wake · cabinet · fork · bulb

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bass — the fish
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — a safe
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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