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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. roll — a list
  3. firm — decided
  4. roll — a cake
  5. board — a committee
  6. firm — a company
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. scale — in music
  9. shower — rain
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. shower — to wash
  13. wax — to grow
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. board — to get on
  17. firm — steady
  18. wax — in the ear

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