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: mouse · bass · bark · wave · fork · shower · bulb · coach

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bark — to shout
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bass — low music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. shower — rain
  20. bulb — for light
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. wave — with your hand

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