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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rock — music
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. file — a tool
  12. rock — a stone
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stock — goods
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stock — shares
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rest — a break
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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