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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mug — to rob
  5. present — a gift
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. net — in sport
  15. mug — a face
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chest — a box

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