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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pitch — completely
  8. squash — the sport
  9. court — for sport
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. snap — to click
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. court — of law
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. squash — to crush
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wax — to grow
  22. saw — the tool
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. wax — for sculpting

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