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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ground — the earth
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — clever
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wound — an injury
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wax — to grow
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. ground — a position
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. ground — crushed
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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