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 120 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: stand · wave · bass · band · saw · stick · chest · nail

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chest — of your body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chest — a box
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stand — to bear
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bass — low music
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. nail — for a hammer

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