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: bore · wave · tube · bass · tear · plane · rule · jam

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rule — government
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bore — to drill
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. tube — a container
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. tear — from crying
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bore — to tire
  18. tear — to rip
  19. rule — a law
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. tube — the underground

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