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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — employees
  4. pit — in a race
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. staff — employees
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bass — the fish
  18. branch — a division
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bass — low music
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rush — a thrill

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