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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. chair — a leader
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bass — low music
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. perch — the fish
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. band — a music group
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. band — a ring
  16. drill — a practice
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wax — to grow
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. drill — army training
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bass — the fish

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