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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bass — the fish
  6. object — to protest
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. object — an aim
  10. wax — to grow
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — to paddle
  14. object — a thing
  15. bass — low music
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. row — a line
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bass — the instrument

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