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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. suit — to fit
  11. land — a country
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. land — to come down
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. land — ground
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bass — low music

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