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: bass · cap · prune · wax · spring · wake · dip · pass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. spring — the season
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. cap — a hat
  6. spring — of water
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cap — a lid
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pass — a permit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wax — in the ear

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