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: pitcher · mark · nail · face · wax · bark · fan · pass

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bark — to shout
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — a permit
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fan — a supporter

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