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: bass · trunk · wave · perch · bear · spell · stock · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. spell — letters
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. spell — magic
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bear — the animal
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bear — the animal
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spell — a short time

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