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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mate — to breed
  3. chest — a box
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wax — to grow
  6. chest — of your body
  7. court — of law
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. court — of a king
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. roll — a list
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mate — a partner
  24. court — for sport

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