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: face · fine · wax · pop · kid · lean · lash · branch

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fine — all right
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. face — to confront
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pop — music
  9. kid — to tease
  10. face — to point toward
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. fine — high quality
  15. branch — a division
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. face — part of the head
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. kid — child
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pop — soda

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