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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lean — thin
  4. club — a group
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wax — to grow
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. drill — army training
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pass — a permit
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. club — for dancing

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