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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mug — a cup
  7. key — in music
  8. rest — a break
  9. rash — a series
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. mug — a face
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fork — in a road
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wax — to grow
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. key — the most important part
  24. prune — to trim

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