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 · plane · fine · stem · arm · file · toast · ground

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. file — a document
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ground — the earth
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ground — a position
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. file — a tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. toast — bread
  15. file — a line of people
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fine — high quality
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. fine — all right
  23. wax — to grow
  24. stem — a stem cell

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