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 · wax · fan · hide · temple · land · net · chip

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. land — a country
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wax — to grow
  11. net — in sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — ground
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chip — for betting
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — after costs
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. land — to come down

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