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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. board — to get on
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. scale — in music
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rule — a law
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. board — a committee
  16. scale — size or range
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. branch — a division
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. sharp — clever
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — to grow

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