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: bat · leaves · hide · rush · bass · wax · pitcher · drill

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. drill — army training
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bass — low music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. drill — a practice
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bass — the fish
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rush — hurry

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