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: bay · lean · cabinet · bass · lash · tube · rock · spring

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bass — low music
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. tube — a container
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. spring — of water
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spring — a coil
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rock — music
  24. spring — the season

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