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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rock — music
  6. cold — not warm
  7. snap — to click
  8. current — electric
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. deal — to handle
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. current — happening now
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cold — an illness
  22. pit — a hole
  23. current — of water
  24. wax — for sculpting

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