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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rash — a series
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. saw — the tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wax — to grow
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wake — a trail
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. coach — a trainer

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