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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bark — to shout
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chip — for betting
  16. lean — thin
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — in cards
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rush — a thrill

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