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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. present — the time now
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. club — for dancing
  10. game — a match
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. sharp — clever
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cap — a hat
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. game — wild animals

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