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: mark · wax · bark · present · file · lean · pit · toast

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. present — the time now
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lean — thin
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a document
  12. present — a gift
  13. wax — to grow
  14. lean — to bend
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bark — to shout
  20. toast — bread
  21. present — there
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. lean — to rest against

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