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 120 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 · firm · bass · swing · wax · trunk · straw · bank

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bass — the fish
  4. firm — steady
  5. bass — low music
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. swing — in golf
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. firm — decided
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bank — for money
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bore — to drill
  16. swing — music
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bank — for money
  19. swing — to play on
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. firm — a company

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