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 120 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. march — the month
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. march — the month
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. chest — a box
  13. chip — for betting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. march — music
  16. chip — to eat
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. chest — of your body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. chest — of your body
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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