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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mark — a grade
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cell — in biology
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. tube — a container
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cell — a phone

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