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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fine — high quality
  11. track — a path
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. snap — to click
  14. track — a song
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pitch — completely
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. fine — all right
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. scale — in music

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