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 120 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: wax · tube · bay · rash · press · fan · cue · mark

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  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. wax — for sculpting
  2. press — to push
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rash — hasty
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rash — a series
  14. press — newspapers
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. press — a publisher
  23. wax — to grow
  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