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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. ball — a great time
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. tube — a container
  7. bass — the fish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — the underground
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mate — to breed
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cue — for pool

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