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: fan · bass · field · rock · bank · trunk · cue · nail

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bass — low music
  3. field — farmland
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bank — for money
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bank — for money
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. field — a subject
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bass — the fish
  17. field — for sport
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rock — a stone
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rock — music
  24. bass — the instrument

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