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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. band — a music group
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. band — a ring
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. deal — an agreement
  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