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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. rule — a law
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cold — not warm
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cold — an illness
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rule — government
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. drill — army training

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