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 120 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: hand · scale · temple · wave · mouse · snap · bass · board

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bass — low music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. bass — the fish
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. hand — help
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. snap — to click
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. scale — in music

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