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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. branch — a division
  9. craft — boats
  10. date — the fruit
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. craft — a skill
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wax — to grow
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. hide — to keep secret

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