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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fall — to drop
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bound — tied together
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bound — obliged
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fall — the season
  11. club — for golf
  12. current — of water
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. current — electric
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. spell — letters
  17. current — happening now
  18. club — a group
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bound — certain
  21. spell — magic
  22. wax — to grow
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chip — to eat

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