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 116 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. squash — to crush
  8. present — the time now
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. branch — a division
  18. ball — a great time
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ball — a dance
  24. branch — of a tree

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