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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. saw — the tool
  4. object — an aim
  5. mug — a face
  6. rock — a stone
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. roll — a list
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. roll — a cake
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. object — to protest
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mug — a cup
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. object — a thing
  24. roll — on a roll

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