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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bank — for money
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wax — to grow
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — for money
  9. degree — temperature
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bank — of a river
  17. chip — to eat
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wax — in the ear

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