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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. key — in music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. sharp — clever
  11. chair — a leader
  12. key — for a lock
  13. drill — army training
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. drill — the tool
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. wax — to grow
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stem — a stem cell

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