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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. file — a line of people
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. file — a tool
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. craft — a skill
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. file — a document
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. squash — to crush
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — boats
  24. squash — the sport

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