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: chair · ruler · cold · bulb · lash · bass · bay · wave

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bass — low music
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cold — not warm
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. cold — an illness
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bass — the instrument

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