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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. last — to go on
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. file — a tool
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pop — soda
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pop — music
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. pop — to visit
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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