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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. last — final
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. last — finally
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. last — to go on

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