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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mug — a face
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mug — to rob
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. row — a line
  19. board — to get on
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. board — a flat piece

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