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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. suit — clothes
  3. present — the time now
  4. suit — to fit
  5. present — a gift
  6. suit — in cards
  7. face — part of the head
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wax — to grow
  11. board — a committee
  12. present — there
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. face — to point toward
  16. fall — the season
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. face — to confront
  20. object — a thing
  21. board — to get on
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. object — an aim

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