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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rush — hurry
  11. track — a song
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. charge — a price
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. charge — in control
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. track — a path

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