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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. mug — to rob
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — clothes
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. snap — to click
  13. suit — in cards
  14. charge — in control
  15. scale — in music
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. charge — a price
  19. fall — to drop
  20. charge — electricity
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. chair — a leader
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wax — for sculpting

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