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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ball — a great time
  3. present — there
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. firm — steady
  8. present — a gift
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — crushed
  11. land — a country
  12. firm — a company
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. object — to protest
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. firm — decided
  17. object — a thing
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wax — to grow
  21. object — an aim
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. present — the time now

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