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: court · bank · bass · wave · deal · safe · pitcher · fork

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bass — low music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. court — of law
  17. bank — for money
  18. bass — the fish
  19. court — of a king
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fork — in a road
  22. court — for sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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