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: saw · bound · bulb · rock · wave · stock · bass · drill

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bass — low music
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. rock — music
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stock — shares
  12. bound — obliged
  13. drill — a practice
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. drill — army training
  18. bound — certain
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bulb — for light

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