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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pit — in a race
  6. branch — a division
  7. current — happening now
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. wax — to grow
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pit — a hole
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. snap — to click

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