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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mug — a cup
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rest — a break
  6. mug — to rob
  7. spring — of water
  8. rest — what's left
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. spring — a coil
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mug — a face
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chair — a leader
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. spring — the season
  24. wax — to grow

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