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: wax · pass · rock · bass · nail · shower · wind · field

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. field — for sport
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wax — to grow
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. field — a subject
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. field — farmland
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. rock — music
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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