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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. roll — a cake
  9. current — happening now
  10. roll — a list
  11. lean — thin
  12. kick — in football
  13. current — of water
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. current — electric
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. lean — to bend
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bear — the animal
  24. sharp — clever

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