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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — all right
  3. field — a subject
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fine — high quality
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. file — a document
  9. bore — to drill
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fall — the season
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. file — a line of people
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. field — farmland
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bore — to tire
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. file — a tool
  23. field — for sport
  24. wax — to grow

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