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: craft · pass · wax · shower · cell · safe · pit · rash

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wax — to grow
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rash — hasty
  10. shower — rain
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. craft — boats
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pit — a hole
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rash — a series
  22. shower — to wash
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. pass — to spend time

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