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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mark — a grade
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mark — a trace
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chip — to eat
  10. drill — army training
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rock — music
  16. drill — the tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. scale — in music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rock — a stone

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