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: jam · branch · rash · wound · pound · rest · bass · row

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rash — a series
  5. rest — a break
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wound — an injury
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bass — low music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. wound — an injury
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. branch — a division
  24. row — a line

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