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: stand · chip · mouse · sharp · wax · temple · snap · file

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. file — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stand — to bear
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. file — a line of people
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. snap — to click
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. sharp — clever
  17. file — a document
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. sharp — exactly

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