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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. toast — bread
  3. wax — to grow
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. object — a thing
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pass — a permit
  17. object — an aim
  18. squash — to crush
  19. row — a line
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. object — to protest
  24. wax — in the ear

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