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 · pound · wave · pass · court · craft · ruler · bay

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bass — low music
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. court — of law
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — of a king
  9. craft — boats
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pass — a permit
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. court — for sport
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wave — of the sea

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