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: stick · dip · net · wax · bass · fine · rock · mark

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. net — in sport
  6. bass — low music
  7. rock — music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. net — after costs
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — all right
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. net — for catching
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bass — the fish
  24. dip — to sink

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