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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. wax — to grow
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. can — a tin
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. chip — for betting
  10. degree — from a university
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — hasty
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. degree — an amount
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bulb — for light

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