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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. pass — a permit
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ground — a position
  8. plane — a tool
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. club — a group
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ground — the earth
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. club — for golf
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ground — crushed
  24. dip — to dunk

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