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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · wax · plane · squash · vault · file · rash · cue

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cue — for pool
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. squash — the sport
  8. file — a tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cue — a hint
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. file — a line of people
  14. wax — to grow
  15. cue — a signal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. squash — to crush
  18. plane — a tool
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rash — a series
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. file — a document
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rash — on the skin

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