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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. lean — thin
  6. fine — all right
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. fine — high quality
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cap — of ice
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cap — a lid
  17. chair — a leader
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cap — a hat
  22. march — music
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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