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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bound — obliged
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. wax — to grow
  10. cue — for pool
  11. craft — boats
  12. bound — certain
  13. chip — for betting
  14. file — a line of people
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bound — tied together
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a document
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rush — hurry

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