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: ball · object · band · branch · bound · wave · dip · bass

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. object — to protest
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. band — a ring
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bound — tied together
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bound — certain
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bound — obliged
  19. object — an aim
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. object — a thing
  23. branch — a division
  24. dip — a sauce

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