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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. vault — a safe
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. net — in sport
  18. track — a path
  19. swing — music
  20. lean — thin
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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