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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. object — an aim
  3. pop — soda
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pop — music
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pop — to visit
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cell — in biology
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fall — the season
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fall — to drop
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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