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: dip · pit · stock · bat · cabinet · leaves · wax · nail

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. dip — to sink
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bat — the animal
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stock — goods
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stock — shares
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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