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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mug — a face
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cell — in biology
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mug — to rob
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cell — a phone
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wax — to grow
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rule — a law
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. row — a line
  24. rule — government

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