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 · ground · date · wave · pit · lean · rock · bass

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rock — music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. spell — letters
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bass — low music
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. date — the fruit
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ground — a position
  24. lean — thin

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