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: mark · squash · bass · pound · chip · wave · lean · trunk

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. chip — to eat
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lean — thin
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bass — the fish
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. trunk — of a car

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