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

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bass — the fish
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. ball — a great time
  9. file — a tool
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pass — a permit
  12. file — a line of people
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bass — low music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. file — a document
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lean — thin
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. scale — in music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — a division
  24. scale — for weighing

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