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: plane · wax · trunk · ball · kick · lie · bass · roll

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bass — low music
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wax — to grow
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kick — in football
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — the fish
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — a cake

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