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: scale · fine · rush · bat · wax · bass · stick · board

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bass — low music
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fine — all right
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bat — the animal
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fine — high quality
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bass — the fish

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