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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wax — to grow
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. file — a line of people
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. face — to confront
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. face — part of the head
  13. file — a document
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. kick — in football
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. file — a tool
  18. current — electric
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. chair — a leader
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. kick — with a leg

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