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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wax — to grow
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. tear — to rip
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. chest — of your body
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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