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: rash · bass · file · wave · present · key · stem · scale

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. file — a tool
  8. present — the time now
  9. scale — in music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. present — a gift
  16. rash — a series
  17. key — in music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. file — a document
  23. bass — the fish
  24. present — there

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