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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fine — high quality
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. lean — to bend
  9. file — a document
  10. wax — to grow
  11. fine — all right
  12. chest — a box
  13. track — a song
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lean — thin
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. file — a tool
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lean — to rest against
  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