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: lash · present · lean · scale · pitcher · bank · foot · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. scale — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. present — there
  11. lean — thin
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bank — for money
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. scale — size or range

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