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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wax — to grow
  5. face — part of the head
  6. key — in music
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rule — a law
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. face — to confront
  19. key — the most important part
  20. date — the fruit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pass — to succeed

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