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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rest — what's left
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mark — a grade
  11. charge — a price
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mark — a trace
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wax — to grow
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. charge — in control
  20. spell — a short time
  21. charge — electricity
  22. scale — in music
  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