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: spell · wax · tube · bass · ground · press · chip · band

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. spell — magic
  3. band — a ring
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. press — to push
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. press — newspapers
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ground — crushed
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. spell — a short time
  21. band — a music group
  22. spell — letters
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. tube — in a tire

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