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 120 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cap — a hat
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. current — happening now
  6. wake — a trail
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wax — to grow
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cap — of ice
  22. staff — employees
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cap — a lid

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