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: trunk · snap · wax · pop · file · lash · content · safe

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wax — to grow
  4. file — a line of people
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. content — happy
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pop — soda
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. snap — to click
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. content — the amount
  21. pop — music
  22. file — a document
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. file — a tool

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