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 120 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: tube · ball · nail · wax · plane · rash · chair · chip

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ball — a great time
  3. chair — a leader
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rash — hasty
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wax — to grow
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rash — a series
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. tube — a container
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chair — to sit on

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