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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. firm — decided
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pit — a hole
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rule — a law
  7. pit — in a race
  8. wax — to grow
  9. firm — a company
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. rule — government
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. firm — steady
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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