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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stock — goods
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. charge — in control
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. object — an aim
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stock — shares
  16. object — to protest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cold — not warm
  22. object — a thing
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. charge — a price

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