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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. branch — a division
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. spell — letters
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. can — to be able to
  12. face — to confront
  13. wax — to grow
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. foot — a measure
  22. can — a tin
  23. ball — a great time
  24. spell — magic

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