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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lean — thin
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. key — the most important part
  6. net — for catching
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. net — after costs
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. ball — a great time
  13. row — a line
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. row — to paddle
  17. net — in sport
  18. mate — to breed
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wax — to grow
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ball — a dance

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