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: suit · plane · firm · bass · wave · wake · kid · band

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wake — a trail
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. band — a ring
  13. suit — in cards
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. band — a music group
  20. bass — the fish
  21. suit — clothes
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. kid — to tease

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