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 116 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: pound · lash · rock · bay · game · bass · leaves · stock

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rock — music
  11. game — a match
  12. bass — the fish
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stock — goods
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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