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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. object — a thing
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wax — to grow
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wind — moving air
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. staff — employees
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. club — for golf
  18. staff — a stick
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. club — for dancing
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. deal — to handle
  23. club — a group
  24. staff — employees

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