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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. wax — for sculpting
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — in biology
  5. present — there
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lie — to recline
  12. saw — the tool
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. present — the time now
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. present — a gift
  21. saw — the tool
  22. object — an aim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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