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: wind · cell · press · saw · ball · can · bass · wax

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. press — to push
  5. wax — to grow
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bass — the fish
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. can — a tin
  12. wind — moving air
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bass — low music
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ball — a dance
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. can — a tin
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cell — in biology

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