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

Word bank: bass · trunk · cabinet · track · bat · mate · wave · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. track — a song
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. track — a path
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bat — the animal
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bass — low music
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. track — to keep track

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