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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. file — a tool
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ball — a great time
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. content — happy
  14. wax — to grow
  15. file — a document
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — the amount
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. ball — a dance
  22. file — a line of people
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ball — a round shape

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