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: temple · roll · firm · file · leaves · bay · tube · wax

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. roll — a cake
  8. file — a line of people
  9. roll — a list
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. firm — a company
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. tube — the underground
  18. firm — steady
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. tube — a container
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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