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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rock — music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. net — after costs
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bass — low music
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. spell — letters
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. foot — a measure
  16. spell — a short time
  17. net — for catching
  18. spell — magic
  19. net — in sport
  20. bass — the fish
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. scale — in 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