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: rock · band · saw · craft · stand · snap · bowl · bass

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. band — a ring
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. band — a music group
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bass — low music
  13. craft — boats
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. snap — to click
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rock — a stone

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