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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rock — music
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. board — a committee
  7. rock — a stone
  8. board — to get on
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mine — for digging
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. wax — to grow
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. racket — for tennis

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