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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. fine — all right
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rest — a break
  23. pit — in a race
  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