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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. scale — in music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. foot — a measure
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. scale — size or range
  18. nail — for a hammer

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