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 · present · pitch · mug · object · temple · chip · bat

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. object — an aim
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. present — there
  6. pitch — completely
  7. chip — for betting
  8. present — a gift
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. object — to protest
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bat — the animal
  21. present — the time now
  22. mug — a face
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. object — a thing

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