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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. net — in sport
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wax — to grow
  10. chip — to eat
  11. board — to get on
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. net — for catching
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. toast — bread
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. net — after costs
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rest — a break
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rest — what's left
  23. board — a committee
  24. chip — for betting

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