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 116 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: bass · cabinet · swing · lean · cell · pass · root · wave

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. lean — thin
  5. root — of a word
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bass — the fish
  10. root — the cause
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bass — low music
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. cell — a phone
  16. lean — to bend
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. swing — music
  24. pass — to spend time

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