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 124 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. saw — the tool
  3. dip — to sink
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mate — a partner
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. scale — in music
  8. date — the fruit
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. track — a path
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mate — to breed
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mate — a friend
  23. track — a song
  24. wax — in the ear

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