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: shower · wax · cap · stand · fan · firm · chest · arm

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. shower — rain
  10. firm — a company
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. shower — to wash
  14. firm — decided
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. chest — a box
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. firm — steady
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cap — a hat
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wax — to grow

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