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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bat — the animal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. drill — army training
  5. roll — a cake
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. roll — a list
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. lie — to recline
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. drill — the tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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