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 · cold · mark · board · pass · bass · stick · roll

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. board — a committee
  5. rock — music
  6. cold — an illness
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. cold — not warm
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. roll — a cake
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. roll — a list
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. board — to get on
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bass — low music

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