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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bass — low music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wax — to grow
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. rock — music
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rash — a series
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — a tool

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