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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mark — a trace
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wax — to grow
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. saw — the tool

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