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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fall — to drop
  5. squash — to crush
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wax — to grow
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bark — to shout
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. key — for a lock
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. key — in music
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. hand — help
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pit — in a race

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