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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. can — a tin
  10. last — final
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. club — for golf
  14. degree — from a university
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. last — to go on
  20. club — a group
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. last — finally
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — temperature

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