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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · toast · mouse · bass · bay · wax

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. toast — bread
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lean — thin
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bass — low music
  18. toast — the most admired

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