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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wax — to grow
  8. court — of law
  9. fall — the season
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fine — high quality
  13. court — for sport
  14. game — wild animals
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. object — a thing
  17. court — of a king
  18. object — to protest
  19. game — a match
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bore — to drill
  24. hide — to keep secret

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