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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bank — for money
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — in control
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lean — thin
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. bank — of a river

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