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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — to grow
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. board — a committee
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — to get on
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. current — happening now
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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