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: cabinet · dip · degree · mouse · wave · chest · firm · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. chest — of your body
  3. firm — steady
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. degree — temperature
  7. firm — decided
  8. degree — an amount
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. chest — a box
  13. firm — a company
  14. bass — low music
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. degree — from a university
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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