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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. net — in sport
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wax — to grow
  6. net — after costs
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. file — a line of people
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. last — finally
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. last — final
  16. file — a document
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. last — to go on
  23. file — a tool
  24. net — for catching

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