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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rest — what's left
  6. track — to keep track
  7. game — wild animals
  8. track — a path
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. march — music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. track — a song
  15. game — a match
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. march — the month
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rest — a break
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. march — the month

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