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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. wax — to grow
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rule — a law
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. toast — bread
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rule — government
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bay — a horse colour

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