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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bass — low music
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bass — the fish
  13. firm — decided
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rock — a stone
  17. firm — a company
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. kick — in football
  23. rock — music
  24. firm — steady

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