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: wax · dip · spell · roll · can · chair · ball · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. can — to be able to
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. spell — a short time
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chair — a leader
  14. spell — letters
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. spell — magic
  19. ball — a dance
  20. can — a tin
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — to sink
  24. roll — a list

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