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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. mug — to rob
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mate — a partner
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rash — a series
  15. mate — a friend
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mug — a face
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. drill — army training
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — to dunk

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