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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mate — a partner
  7. clip — for paper
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. clip — to cut
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wax — to grow
  15. chair — a leader
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. clip — a video
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. plane — in geometry

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