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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hand — help
  13. present — there
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. present — a gift
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mine — for digging
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rock — music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. present — the time now

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