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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pass — a permit
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pop — soda
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. root — of a word
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rest — a break
  15. pop — music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. root — the cause
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pop — to visit
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ground — the earth

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