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: snap · plane · trunk · lean · pass · mouse · pop · bass

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bass — the fish
  5. snap — to click
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pop — music
  18. pass — a permit
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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