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: dip · hand · safe · wax · file · tube · roll · pound

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. tube — the underground
  3. file — a tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hand — in cards
  6. roll — a cake
  7. file — a document
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wax — to grow
  13. tube — a container
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. hand — help
  16. file — a line of people
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. tube — in a tire

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