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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rash — a series
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bass — low music
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rush — hurry
  22. kid — child
  23. pit — a hole
  24. kid — to tease

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