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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rest — what's left
  5. press — to push
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rest — a break
  10. press — a publisher
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wax — to grow
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. object — a thing
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. fall — the season
  21. object — to protest
  22. suit — to fit
  23. object — an aim
  24. pound — to hit hard

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