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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cap — a lid
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chip — to eat
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pit — a hole
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — of ice
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mate — a friend
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. cap — a hat

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