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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pitch — completely
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. spell — magic
  6. land — a country
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. lean — thin
  14. rash — a series
  15. mark — a grade
  16. land — to come down
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. rash — hasty

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