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: bass · wax · pitcher · row · chip · firm · straw · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. row — to paddle
  3. chip — to eat
  4. firm — a company
  5. wax — to grow
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bass — low music
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. firm — decided
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. firm — steady
  18. row — a line
  19. bass — the fish
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wax — in the ear

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