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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rash — a series
  4. firm — decided
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. firm — steady
  10. season — in sport
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. firm — a company
  15. rash — hasty
  16. season — of the year
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — the earth
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. ground — a position

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