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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bear — the animal
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bass — low music
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rule — a law
  13. foot — a measure
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rule — government
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. can — a tin
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — the animal

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