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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stock — shares
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mug — a face
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mug — to rob
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chair — a leader
  13. drill — a practice
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mug — a cup
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ball — a great time
  20. scale — in music
  21. wax — to grow
  22. drill — army training
  23. stock — goods
  24. scale — size or range

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