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

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stock — goods
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cap — a lid
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cap — of ice
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. stock — shares
  18. cap — a hat

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