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: saw · chip · row · straw · object · wave · bass · wax

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. object — an aim
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. chip — for betting
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bass — the fish
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. row — a line
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. object — to protest

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