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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. chip — to eat
  4. spell — magic
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rash — a series
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lie — to recline
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. spell — letters
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. chair — a leader

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