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 124 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — in cards
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — low music
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. suit — in cards
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bulb — for light

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