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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. file — a tool
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bass — the fish
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ground — the earth
  11. firm — decided
  12. ground — a position
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. firm — a company
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. scale — in music
  18. ground — crushed
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bass — low music
  21. file — a document
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. capital — a city
  24. firm — steady

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