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 120 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: pitcher · cell · wax · bass · pass · drill · bound · wound

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bound — certain
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bass — low music
  20. cell — in biology
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wax — for sculpting

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