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: lean · pass · row · current · tube · bass · tear · rush

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — low music
  5. tube — a container
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. tear — to rip
  9. current — electric
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. tear — from crying
  14. current — of water
  15. lean — thin
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. tube — the underground
  19. row — a line
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rush — hurry
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. current — happening now

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