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: fork · file · wax · chair · dip · can · last · ground

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. file — a document
  3. last — to go on
  4. ground — a position
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. last — final
  8. file — a tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. wax — to grow
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. last — finally
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ground — the earth
  19. chair — a leader
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. ground — crushed
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. can — to be able to
  24. file — a line of people

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