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: wax · bowl · dip · ground · sharp · snap · can · object

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. object — to protest
  3. can — to be able to
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ground — the earth
  7. object — a thing
  8. wax — to grow
  9. snap — to click
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. can — a tin
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. ground — crushed
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ground — a position
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. can — a tin
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. object — an aim
  24. bowl — to roll

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