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: wake · saw · safe · bass · hand · coach · stand · dip

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. saw — the tool
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. dip — to sink
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — a trail
  12. hand — in cards
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bass — low music
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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