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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — to grow
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. face — to point toward
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. game — a match
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. face — to confront
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. game — wild animals
  19. face — part of the head
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bat — the animal
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — the tool

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