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: cue · rash · fork · wax · mine · lean · suit · pitch

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lean — thin
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. wax — in the ear

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