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: chip · pop · cell · bass · calf · leaves · mark · wax

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cell — a phone
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bass — the fish
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pop — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. wax — to grow
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pop — soda
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mark — a trace

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