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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mate — a friend
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. chair — a leader
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. track — to keep track
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. track — a song
  15. vault — a safe
  16. lean — thin
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. track — a path
  19. lean — to bend
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wax — to grow
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mate — to breed

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