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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cue — a hint
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — a video
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. deal — to handle
  18. face — to point toward
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. face — to confront
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bass — the fish
  24. deal — an agreement

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