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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. present — a gift
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. present — the time now
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. track — a path
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. track — a song
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. track — to keep track
  17. hand — in cards
  18. game — a match
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. present — there
  21. hand — help
  22. game — wild animals
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. deal — a big deal

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