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: cue · mouse · wax · content · tear · charge · tube · wound

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. tear — from crying
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. tear — to rip
  8. content — the amount
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wax — to grow
  15. charge — a price
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — in control
  18. content — happy
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — the underground
  24. cue — a signal

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