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: roll · wave · band · trunk · bass · bay · toast · court

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. band — a ring
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of a king
  10. bass — the fish
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. court — of law
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. band — a music group
  15. bass — low music
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a list
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. toast — bread
  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