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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. chair — a leader
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. press — to push
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. track — a path
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. cue — a signal
  19. track — to keep track
  20. press — newspapers
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cue — a hint
  23. press — a publisher
  24. racket — for tennis

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