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 120 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. can — a tin
  5. root — of a word
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. root — of a plant
  11. game — a match
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. root — the cause
  24. can — a tin

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