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: can · bank · bay · nail · wax · key · present · sharp

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. can — to be able to
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. key — in music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wax — to grow
  11. sharp — clever
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bank — for money
  15. present — a gift
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — of a river
  20. present — there
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. present — the time now
  23. can — a tin
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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