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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. swing — music
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cell — in biology
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bank — for money
  14. dip — to sink
  15. swing — to play on
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cell — a phone
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bank — for money
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bank — of a river

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