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: pound · spring · wax · bass · lie · pass · fork · saw

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — in a road
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. spring — a coil
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. spring — the season
  10. wax — to grow
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spring — of water
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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