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: rush · bass · band · bear · scale · wave · saw · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. saw — the tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bass — low music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. band — a ring
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rush — hurry
  15. band — a music group
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. current — happening now
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bear — the animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. current — of water
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bass — the fish

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