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: lean · band · bulb · leaves · bass · bat · pound · stick

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. band — a ring
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bat — the animal
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. band — a music group
  20. bass — low music
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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