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: wave · suit · cap · bass · mine · pitcher · wax · deal

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. suit — to fit
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bass — low music
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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