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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. chest — of your body
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mug — a face
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cue — for pool
  8. chest — a box
  9. staff — employees
  10. pit — a hole
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. staff — employees
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rest — a break
  24. wax — in the ear

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