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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. net — after costs
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. net — in sport
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wax — to grow
  12. net — for catching
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bound — obliged
  18. kid — to tease
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. cue — for pool
  24. kid — child

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