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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. can — to be able to
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. deal — to handle
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — army training
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. can — a tin
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pit — a hole
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. dip — a sauce

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