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: nail · racket · stock · wind · mug · mate · bass · wake

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bass — the fish
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bass — low music
  5. mug — to rob
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mug — a face
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mate — a friend
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stock — shares
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mate — a partner
  23. stock — goods
  24. wind — to turn a key

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