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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. last — final
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. last — to go on
  7. current — of water
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. current — electric
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wax — to grow
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wake — a trail
  14. last — finally
  15. key — the most important part
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. key — in music
  23. current — happening now
  24. wake — before a funeral

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