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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. hand — help
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. current — electric
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wake — a trail
  15. current — happening now
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. current — of water
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. board — a committee
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. prune — to trim
  23. hand — in cards
  24. prune — to trim

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