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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. net — after costs
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. root — the cause
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bat — the animal
  13. net — for catching
  14. root — of a plant
  15. suit — in cards
  16. root — of a word
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — in sport
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bat — for baseball

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