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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. press — a publisher
  5. rule — a law
  6. press — newspapers
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wax — to grow
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rule — government
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mark — a grade
  20. press — to push
  21. spell — magic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spell — letters

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