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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — completely
  4. key — for a lock
  5. lean — thin
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. cue — a hint
  15. key — in music
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. lean — to bend

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