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 116 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: bass · tube · pass · bear · rest · lash · sharp · charge

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. charge — in control
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. charge — a price
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rest — a break
  22. bass — the fish
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — a container

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