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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wax — to grow
  4. board — a committee
  5. dip — to sink
  6. staff — employees
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mark — a trace
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. object — to protest
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. board — to get on
  18. staff — employees
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rest — a break
  23. object — an aim
  24. mark — to pay attention

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