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: chip · wax · plane · racket · last · hide · lash · track

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. last — finally
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chip — for betting
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. last — to go on
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. track — a song
  18. last — final
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. hide — to keep secret

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