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: bowl · nail · firm · present · cold · wax · bay · lash

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. present — a gift
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. firm — decided
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wax — to grow
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. present — the time now
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. cold — an illness
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. firm — steady
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cold — not warm
  22. firm — a company
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. present — there

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