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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. last — final
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. plane — a tool
  8. last — to go on
  9. wax — to grow
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. track — a path
  12. last — finally
  13. charge — electricity
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. charge — a price
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. charge — in control
  24. ball — a dance

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