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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. club — for dancing
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. board — a committee
  6. club — for golf
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. can — a tin
  11. snap — to click
  12. club — a group
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wax — to grow
  21. can — a tin
  22. board — to get on
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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