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: wound · bass · rock · foot · plane · mug · roll · wake

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mug — a cup
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mug — a face
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mug — to rob
  8. wound — an injury
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wound — an injury
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bass — low music
  17. rock — music
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wake — a trail
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. roll — a cake

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