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: current · vault · wax · ball · racket · leaves · bass · ground

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ball — a great time
  6. current — electric
  7. wax — to grow
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bass — low music
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. current — happening now
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — of water
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bass — the fish
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. vault — a safe
  24. leaves — lets stay

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