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

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. key — the most important part
  5. cue — for pool
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cue — a signal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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