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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. board — a committee
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. wax — to grow
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. board — to get on
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mate — a partner
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cue — a hint

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